Energy is stored in a 14,000mAh internal battery capable of recharging an iPhone5 over nine times, a Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone seven times, or an iPad 2 twice, without needing light exposure on a single charge.

The electree+ distributes power through two USB ports, or an optional Qi wireless charging matt compatible with most modern phones, and adaptable to work with iPhones via a Qi-enabled sleeve.

The baseplate of the electree+ can also be upgraded with a 1K Near Field Communications (NFC) chip, which could enable users to trigger a custom action on their device, such as enabling WiFi or entering dock mode.

When completely depleted, the electree+ charges back up in around 36 hours of sunlight exposure, although it needs only four hours of daylight to gather enough energy to charge the average smartphone, the project said.

Creators Nate Wearin, Will Stone and Vivien Muller have launched a funding drive on Kickstarter for the electree+. They hope to raise $200,000 (£125,000), and currently have $22,112 from 108 backers, with 34 days left to go.

The project says that the electree+ would provide a stylish yet also practical gadget-charging station for the home, the office or a store.

It will be available in several colours other than the pictured white, but these options will be chosen by backers of the project.

Muller started the product in 2008 and has spent the past four years in design, research and development.

Discussing the design of the electree+, he said. "Nature has selected over millions of years the most efficient structures to capture solar energy.

"The tree's shape is thus the best means to take advantage of solar energy. While studying fractals, I realized that one could draw a tree by repeating and transforming a basic pattern."

The project is also focused on highlighting the benefits of renewable energy, and cutting people's dependency on fossil fuels, such as coal and gas.

"The sun bathes our planet with more energy in one hour than we consume in a year," the Kickstarter electree+ website states.

"In fact, the amount of solar energy reaching Earth's surface every year is twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources (of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium) combined (citing Stanford figures)."

It adds: "We hope you will help us spur a movement to design beautiful yet practical products that invent and promote new applications & uses for renewable energy."

The electree+ Kickstarter has been launched to gather sufficient funds to order 1,000 units for the first production run.

The device will be made in the US, and the first electree+ products are expected to ship to Kickstarter supporters in May next year.